jassmith/instructions.md Secret

## instructions.md

      
    Raw
  

              instructions.md
            
          
    Introduction

Using the Xamarin.Forms AppCompat backend for Android enables a more modern look and feel for your app. In order to use the new backend several changes will be needed for your project.
Update Activity

The default Xamarin.Forms Activity has been the FormsApplicationActivity. All Xamarin.Forms apps derive from this Activity. The AppCompat backend is enabled by changing the base Activity to derive from FormsAppCompatActivity.
public class MyActivity : FormsApplicationActivity
becomes
public class MyActivity : FormsAppCompatActivity
Add required resources

You will need to add the following resources to your Android Application project. They should be added in the layout directory.
TabLayout.axml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<android.support.design.widget.TabLayout xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    xmlns:app="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res-auto"
    android:id="@+id/sliding_tabs"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:background="?attr/colorPrimary"
    android:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar"
    app:tabIndicatorColor="@android:color/white"
    app:tabGravity="fill"
    app:tabMode="fixed" />
Toolbar.axml
<android.support.v7.widget.Toolbar
    xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android"
    android:id="@+id/toolbar"
    android:layout_width="match_parent"
    android:layout_height="wrap_content"
    android:background="?attr/colorPrimary"
    android:theme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Dark.ActionBar"
    android:popupTheme="@style/ThemeOverlay.AppCompat.Light" />
You may modify the theming and properties specified on these view templates to match your theming desires.
Next let your activity know where to find these resources.
protected override void OnCreate (Bundle bundle)
{
	// Must be called before base.OnCreate (bundle);
	ToolbarResource = Resource.Layout.Toolbar;
	TabLayoutResource = Resource.Layout.TabLayout;

	base.OnCreate (bundle);

	Forms.Init (this, bundle);
	FormsMaps.Init (this, bundle);

	LoadApplication (new App ());
}
Set your application theme

Your Android Application must use an AppCompat derived theme.
Define a new theme, place this theme in your values directory.
style.xml:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8" ?>
<resources>
  <style name="MyTheme" parent="MyTheme.Base">
  </style>
  <!-- Base theme applied no matter what API -->
  <style name="MyTheme.Base" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.DarkActionBar">
    <!--If you are using revision 22.1 please use just windowNoTitle. Without android:-->
    <item name="windowNoTitle">true</item>
    <!--We will be using the toolbar so no need to show ActionBar-->
    <item name="windowActionBar">false</item>
    <!-- Set theme colors from http://www.google.com/design/spec/style/color.html#color-color-palette-->
    <!-- colorPrimary is used for the default action bar background -->
    <item name="colorPrimary">#2196F3</item>
    <!-- colorPrimaryDark is used for the status bar -->
    <item name="colorPrimaryDark">#1976D2</item>
    <!-- colorAccent is used as the default value for colorControlActivated
         which is used to tint widgets -->
    <item name="colorAccent">#FF4081</item>
     <!-- You can also set colorControlNormal, colorControlActivated
         colorControlHighlight and colorSwitchThumbNormal. -->
    <item name="windowActionModeOverlay">true</item>

    <item name="android:datePickerDialogTheme">@style/AppCompatDialogStyle</item>
  </style>

  <style name="AppCompatDialogStyle" parent="Theme.AppCompat.Light.Dialog">
    <item name="colorAccent">#FF4081</item>
  </style>
</resources>
Modify your AndroidManifest.xml to use the theme you created, it will look something like:
<?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
<manifest xmlns:android="http://schemas.android.com/apk/res/android" android:versionCode="1" android:versionName="1.0" package="AndroidControlGallery.AndroidControlGallery" android:installLocation="auto">
	<uses-sdk android:minSdkVersion="15" android:targetSdkVersion="22" />
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.INTERNET" />
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_NETWORK_STATE" />
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.WRITE_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
	<uses-permission android:name="com.google.android.providers.gsf.permission.READ_GSERVICES" />
	<!-- The following two permissions are not required to use
		 Google Maps Android API v2, but are recommended. -->
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_COARSE_LOCATION" />
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_FINE_LOCATION" />
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.ACCESS_WIFI_STATE" />
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_EXTERNAL_STORAGE" />
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BATTERY_STATS" />
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_PHONE_STATE" />
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.READ_LOGS" />
	<uses-permission android:name="android.permission.BIND_NOTIFICATION_LISTENER_SERVICE" />
	<uses-feature android:glEsVersion="0x00020000" android:required="true" />
	<application android:label="YourAppName" android:theme="@style/MyTheme">
		<meta-data android:name="com.google.android.maps.v2.API_KEY" android:value="YOUR_KEY" />
		<meta-data android:name="com.google.android.gms.version" android:value="@integer/google_play_services_version" />
	</application>
</manifest>
That should be it, all done.